Sodaism
by OrangePopMessiah
Summary: Sodaism Story...The X-Men are Gods in a fictional universe.
1. How it all Began

First of all, it must be known that unless you have gone to www.sodaism.150m.com, you will not understand much of this. That being said, Laura (lil' Gambit Lover), Beth, and John, Enjoy! And review!  
  
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A fire crackled and spat sparks into the air as an old woman sat watching it. Surrounding her were the children of the village, waiting to hear a story, any story. Every day that old woman would sit on her log, under the stars, watching her fire, and tell a story to the younglings of the village. She had done this for as long as anyone could remember, and no one could remember a time when she wasn't there.  
  
"What story do you wish to hear today, my children?" the old woman asked in her gravelly voice. The children were silent, not knowing what to say. She never asked them what story they wanted to hear before, she always just told them one.  
  
The children looked amongst each other, not being able to decide what to do. One child among the flock spoke up, "I know one you could tell."  
  
The old woman looked amongst the children until she found the one who spoke. The child was a young looking girl with glowing yellow eyes. The old woman looked at her gave her a knowing smile, "And what story is that?"  
  
The girl returned the smile and said, "The Beginning."  
  
The old woman's smile grew, "I haven't told that one in awhile."  
  
"I know," was the girl's reply.  
  
The old woman cleared her throat and began her tale.  
  
"Not many are aware of the tale that is about to follow, and even this story is not all that is known to the universe. I am but an old woman and only the Messiahs know all there is. But this is what I know."  
  
In the beginning these was a vast emptiness. That much every child knows. What every child never hears is that in that emptiness there came to be two beings of extraordinary powers. One, called Apocalypse, was a force of such evil and darkness that even the emptiness trembled. The other was a being of such magnificent goodness that she balanced Apocalypse's evil perfectly. She was the Phoenix, and creator of our world.  
  
Phoenix was lonely and thought longingly of children. Apocalypse knew that should she decide to create a family for herself, he would have the perfect opportunity to make chaos by making the children as evil as he was.  
  
Phoenix first created a place where her children could live. She created the Earth. She filled it with life and love and happiness, and Apocalypse added his own creations of hate and bitterness. On the Earth she created plants and animals of great beauty and grace. She created the moon to light the unending night. She created the Heavens last, a kingdom for her as yet unformed children. She created a universe for her children to rule over and to enjoy.  
  
She took such delight in the creation of the universe that she could hardly wait to create children for herself. Children she could love and who would love her in return.  
  
As she started to give her children life Apocalypse sprung his plan into action. The first of this new generation came into life malformed and dark. He called himself Sinister, and knew in his first moments of life a hatred that had no end. He would not content himself to be a child, and he wanted to rule.  
  
Phoenix was appalled and hid herself from her first child. Apocalypse also hid, but not out of fear. He thought of Sinister, not as a great creation of evil, but as a danger that could not be controlled. So he waited for Phoenix to continue, praying for a true son through whom he could control all that Phoenix had created.  
  
Again Phoenix tried to create a child that could love, and again she was thwarted. The next to form was the Black Queen, Selene. Apocalypse laughed as Selene came into existence, for she was a true Black Queen. She immediately attached herself to Sinister, her goals the same as his. To rule all of creation.  
  
By this time Phoenix realized the part the Apocalypse was playing in the ruination of her children. The child that came next bore in it some of the goodness of Phoenix, but not enough to fight Apocalypse's darkness. This child was Magneto. Magneto also saw himself as a leader, but he was not as powerful as the First. Apocalypse saw in him a cunningness, which he could use. Apocalypse let himself be known to this, his true son, and convinced Magneto to become Sinister's advisor. In such a position Magneto could undermine Sinister's influence, and one day rule.  
  
Phoenix was so distressed at this time that she despaired having any decent children. She wished for children in which their desire to protect and create was greater than their desire to rule her universe. Holding on to hope she tried again to create children to love. The next two who she gave life to were Sabretooth and Lady Deathstrike. Again she had failed. These two came together, as both had violent natures, and the desire to serve and not rule. Sabretooth attached himself to his master, Magneto, and Lady Deathstrike came to serve Sinister as a bounty hunter.  
  
Realizing that she was making progress in her children she tried again, fighting Apocalypse for control. Finally she had success! Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver were the only twins, only real siblings of Phoenix's children. They also were the only ones who held joy and love in their hearts.  
  
Apocalypse saw the Twins and knew that he could not again create as evil or dark of children as he did in his first children. So when Phoenix created her last child, he did not interfere. White Queen was closer to the Phoenix than any of her other children. In the White Queen she had created a mother, a sister, a lover of the universe and a being of beautiful love. She had also created for Quicksilver a wife, and for Scarlet Witch a great friend.  
  
When Phoenix saw that she had finally succeeded against Apocalypse she felt a great and terrible anger that he had interfered with her children. She then sealed him into the nothingness of the universe so that he could no longer infect the world with his evil. But knowing that without balance the universe is nothing, she made herself into a blazing ball of fire to light the Earth. She made herself our sun and gave us day and night.  
  
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The old woman paused in her story. "You should know the rest, my children. From White Queen and Quicksilver's love, we were created."  
  
The children clapped and laughed. "That was a great story!" "Was any of it true?" "Of course not stupid, there's no Phoenix!" "You're great!"  
  
Only one of the children had nothing to say. The young yellow-eyed child just sat among the others with a slight smile on her face. Seeing her, the old woman smiled as well. "Come on children, it's getting late and I'm sure your mothers want you home."  
  
There was much groaning and complaining, but the children gathered themselves up and took themselves home. All but one.  
  
The yellow-eyed child sat in the dirt until the last child was gone. Gathering herself up, the child stood. She rose and rose until she stood as tall as the woman that she was.  
  
"That was very well told, if a bit false," she said in an unearthly voice, her blue skin blending in so well in the darkness of dusk, that the old woman had trouble seeing her.  
  
"Thank you, Lady of the Night."  
  
Mystique laughed, a sound as beautiful as the Goddess of the Night herself. Mystique came to sit next to the old woman, "There are a few things that you neglected to mention."  
  
Now it was the old woman's turn to laugh. "Like how the First Generation's loyalty to each other was."  
  
"Nonexistent. At least in any save White Queen and Quicksilver," finished Mystique.  
  
The old woman smiled. "I wouldn't want the children to get the wrong idea."  
  
Mystique laughed, a sound that the old woman could have listened to forever. When she finally was silent she asked, "Will you tell them our story next?"  
  
The old woman frowned. "That isn't a story for children."  
  
The only response she got was the sound of the Goddess of the Night's laughter as she disappeared. 


	2. Night, Moon, and Demons

Mystique walked in the gardens of the Palace of the Gods dreaming of the past. She dreamed of a time when her husband was not consumed by hate and darkness, but was once again the radiant winged God of the Day, Angel. Perhaps the old woman was right. This was not a story for the ears of children.  
  
She spent hours in the garden, time having no meaning for a Goddess. She was lost in her memories of light and happiness. Of time spent in the twilight hours with her love. Of course, as in reality her dreams took the expected turn. The love of her life became something so profoundly evil it took her breath away. A force now drove her love to darkness, a darkness she could not confide in anyone else.  
  
To Mystique, it didn't matter that she was forced into silence by her own love for her husband. She knew that it was her love alone that held onto the demon Archangel's soul. The demon that was once her lover.  
  
"Sister?" asked a voice behind Mystique, a voice of moonlight and brightness.  
  
Mystique turned, coming face to face with her sister, the Goddess of the Moon, Psylocke. "Brooding again, sister dear?"  
  
Mystique gave a slight smile, "You found me out."  
  
Psylocke put her arm around her sister's blue shoulder, "You think too much."  
  
Psylocke closed her eyes for a moment. "The reason I came to talk to you tonight is to ask you something."  
  
"Why I stay with Archangel," Mystique said over her sister. "That is a question all are thinking, but only you would ask." There was a slight smile on her face.  
  
"You know me, I have no tact."  
  
"No you don't," Mystique shook her head. She sighed, "I stay with him because I love who he used to be and I hope that one day he will be that way again. I am the only thing that keeps him from absolute evil. Should I leave him to his darkness you know what would happen."  
  
Psylocke lowered her head and whispered, "There would be nothing keeping him from taking Storm and using her to take over all of the Pantheon. As it is he tries to take her for himself."  
  
"And her sons, Beast and Wolverine would have nothing left protecting them save their own strength," Mystique finished. "I love him too much to let him sink into such evil."  
  
The sisters sat in silence for a while. Both of them thinking of the evil that had forced Angel to become Archangel.  
  
A male voice broke into the silence. "Psylocke?"  
  
Psylocke beckoned the young God that she had raised. "Nightcrawler, come over here."  
  
The blue-furred God of Demons sat down beside the women he loved most in his life. His mothers. Psylocke had given him all of the love that his mother could not show. Mystique, his true mother, had hidden her twin children from the evil that was his father. Nightcrawler and Shadowcat both understood her reasons as both had seen what his father could do and both of them loved her as they loved Psylocke.  
  
"Well my son, what have you been up to?" Psylocke asked. Mystique felt her heart ache and wished that she could hold her son close and ask him about his life, his love, his dreams.  
  
"I spent most of the day listening to Domino constantly telling me that I must take the role that her brother once filled," Nightcrawler replied, unaware of Mystique's heartache.  
  
Psylocke frowned. "She wants you to become the God of Death?"  
  
Nightcrawler nodded. "She thinks that it is my rightful place."  
  
Mystique nodded, "It would make sense to have the Goddess of Life and the God of Death together. But she does know that my husband, Archangel, rules the Realms of the Dead does she not?"  
  
Nightcrawler sighed, "She does. She thinks I should destroy him and take his place. I sometimes agree with her. He caused so much trouble, but you love him mother, so I have told her always 'no.'"  
  
Mystique drew in a sharp breath. "Be careful what you say! He cannot find out that you are his son!"  
  
"He cannot hear us here." Nightcrawler tried to sound reasonable.  
  
Psylocke looked into the eyes of her young nephew, "With Cyclops in his self-imposed exile and Jean's slow decline into insanity, anything is possible now. If Morph were still here, this discussion would be moot, as he was God of Death before Archangel."  
  
"I think that's why Domino is so obsessed with destroying Archangel. She wants to avenge her brother, since it was Archangel's fault that Cyclops killed him."  
  
All were silent for a moment. The horrible tragedy that led to the King of the God's murder of his oldest child still caused a heartbroken silence to any who spoke of it. Archangel led his brother Cyclops to believe that his son Morph was trying to kill him when it was Archangel who plotted Cyclops's death.  
  
"Maybe Domino has a point," Psylocke said, breaking the silence. 


	3. The King's Isolation

I want to thank lil' Gambit Lover and IvyZoe() for reviewing. I love reviews, so keep 'um coming.  
  
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Cyclops had lost his ability to love, to hate, to feel anything but sorrow. He was lost in a wasteland of regret from which he could not break free. He sat in the mountains on Earth, the only place where no one could find him. He knew this place from his time spent here when he was raised as a Mortal for protection from his evil father Sinister. Of his fellow Gods only one person knew of this place and she would not bother him. Storm, Goddess of the Earth, knew everything that was happening on her beloved planet.  
  
But even his worries of Storm telling his family where he was could not be sustained for very long. His thoughts constantly circled around his son Morph. Sobs burst through his chest, as they had for the last few years. His wife, and their other children hurt also, but he could not think past his own heartache. He took Morph's life.  
  
Lost in his misery Cyclops did not see the form of the Goddess Storm watching him from the mountain peaks. She felt for him. Her people felt for him. The sorrow over Morph's death did not begin and end with Cyclops, or even the Gods. Mortals felt the death of the God of Death also. They, her mortals, may have felt it more poignantly than any other Gods.  
  
Without Morph they could not cross over into the Beyond. Those good souls that would have turned into stars waiting to be reborn were trapped on Earth, unable to die. Those not-so-good souls, who should have gone onto the Realms of the Dead where they waited for their sentences, were also stuck on Earth.  
  
When Archangel took up the role of God of Death, the world shuddered. Death was now looked upon with fear and anger. Many feared that Jubilee would not take the good souls with her to be made into stars and leave Archangel with all Mortals. But the Goddess of the Stars did not let that happen, and all seemed to be well. Except with Cyclops and the other Gods.  
  
Mortal-kind may forget about such an incident, but Gods have long memories. Turning her back on her King, Storm disappeared, heading home.  
  
Home was a valley in a place where Mortals could not reach. It was a valley of life and beauty, much like the Goddess who made it her home.  
  
"Mother?" asked a man's voice from behind a grove of trees.  
  
"Who else would it be?" Storm asked with a smile.  
  
Beast walked from his grove smiling, his brother Wolverine following behind. It was such a beautiful sight for Storm, seeing her children safe and at least a little happy. Archangel's henchman Sabretooth could not find them here.  
  
Storm sighed, as the thought of Sabretooth destroyed her tranquil mood. No one knew why Sabretooth had pledged himself to Archangel's cause, but her sons were suffering as a result.  
  
"How is Cyclops?" Wolverine asked, interrupting his mother's thoughts. Ever since Storm had given her sons life from the Earth itself, Wolverine, now God of Beasts, had never shown patience.  
  
"As well as can be expected. I think that his thoughts turn to other things every now and again and he stops sobbing. It will be a long while until he realizes that there are others who mourn too, who have not sunk into such depression," Storm replied, thinking back to just moments before when she watched the King of the Gods.  
  
Beast frowned, "Does he know about Jean?"  
  
Storm shook her head, "He thinks mostly on Morph, and has not turned his thoughts to Jean to see how she fairs. If he had he would have been with her in a moment."  
  
"Is she getting worse?" Wolverine asked quietly.  
  
Beast turned to his brother, "Cecilia thinks so." Cecilia Reyes was the Goddess of Healing, and if she thought the Queen of the Gods was falling more and more into insanity, then it was true. "She and Domino spend much of their time with her."  
  
"Domino?" Storm asked. "I thought she was trying to convince Nightcrawler to try to take his fa.Archangel's place. At least that's what Psylocke told me."  
  
Beast nodded, "But she also spends time with her mother trying to help my wife restore her sanity."  
  
Storm looked at Beast and smiled. Her thoughts drifted to a time when the three of them were not such a happy family. She remembered giving her children life, forming them out of the Earth herself. Her smile dimmed as she remembered Angel's fascination with them and later, when he became Archangel, his obsession with trying to control them.  
  
But for now, her thoughts drifted to a time when she gave her sons to the Earth to care for. A time when her Beast and Wolverine declared themselves Gods of Nature and Beasts respectively. Storm remembered their first meeting, and her sons' fascination with her. At this point in their history, they had no idea who she was, and as such fell in love with her. There was even a huge battle between the brothers, which only ended when Storm intervened and turned their own subjects against them; the Earth rose and grabbed at Beast, and the animals held back their Wolverine. She told them then, that she was their mother and she could not love them in that way.  
  
Since that day they have lived together in her valley with their families. Beast found love with the Goddess of Healing, Cecilia Reyes. Their children having found their own loves and own homes. Wolverine found love with Cecilia's sister Warbird, Goddess of Wisdom and Tactics. Their three children also have gone on to live by themselves.  
  
Thinking of Wolverine's youngest child, Storm frowned. She loved Thunderbird dearly, but he was a child she couldn't figure out. He chose to be a god, but of nothing. He attached himself to his cousin and would not leave her side. He was nothing like his father, or his mother.  
  
Beast spoke jarring Storm out of her thoughts of the past, "Mother? Are you alright?"  
  
"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" Storm responded.  
  
Wolverine laughed, "You got that faraway look in your eyes. Like you'd gone someplace else. We not good enough for ya?" He asked with a twinkle in his eye.  
  
Storm laughed out loud and put her arms around her sons, "There is no one I'd rather be with." 


	4. Fires Within and Without

I'm sorry if this chapter is a little short. What it lacks in length, it makes up for in quality.  
  
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Cecilia stood with her back to the large canopied bed that the Queen of the Gods thrashed around in. The Gods of the Ruling Pantheon were nowhere to be seen. Cyclops, their king, was hidden away in isolation. Jean was losing her mind to insanity. The rest of the Pantheon was away in their little worlds.  
  
No one understood what was happening to Jean. Perhaps not even Jean herself. But then, no one understood much about Jean in the first place. All anyone knew was that one day she just appeared, like she was a gift from, well, the Gods. She seemed to have no idea where she came from and all anyone knew about her is that none of the First Generation sired her.  
  
Cecilia turned back to the bed where Jean lay. The Queen had finally quieted down. Maybe now Jean could get some real rest.  
  
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Inside Jean's mind things were far from restful. Her body may have grown tired of its frantic thrashing, but things had only grown worse in the wasteland that was now her mind.  
  
Jean now lived trapped behind the fires that had invaded her mind. She could no longer speak to those that she loved, her husband, and her two surviving children Cable and Domino. She was alone inside her thoughts. And at the moment, her thoughts were dominated by fire.  
  
Jean knew that these visions of flames had something to do with her unknown origins, but she didn't recall anything about them. She also couldn't recall anything about her world outside of the fire. She knew that something terrible had happened, but she couldn't remember what it was.  
  
An image of a man's face flashed through the fire, but Jean didn't recognize the face of her first-born son and truthfully, she couldn't find it in herself to care. Then suddenly, Jean was not only surrounded by fire, she was engulfed in it. She could feel it burning away at her even as she tried to fight it.  
  
Outside of her mind, Cecilia was frantically trying to douse the flames that had suddenly burst out over Jean's body. "Help!" Cecilia started to scream.  
  
The door burst open and Domino, Goddess of Life ran in. Domino stopped dead and stared at the scene before her. Reaching out, Domino pulled Cecilia to safety just as the flames covering Jean leapt outward. Cecilia started to struggle against Domino's strong arms trying to get to Jean. "You'll be killed if you go near her again!" Domino screamed just to be heard over the roaring of the fire.  
  
As suddenly as the fire had started, it was doused. Domino and Cecilia could only stare in shocked silence as a healthy looking Jean sat up in the bed. When Jean spoke it was in a voice that echoed and sounded of power, "Where am I?"  
  
Cecilia looked at Domino before turning to Jean, "Uh, you're in the Palace of the Gods, Jean. It's where you've been for the last few years." Again Cecilia looked at Domino.  
  
"Frankly mother, you've been going insane," Domino said with a smile.  
  
"I've been taking care of you," Cecilia added.  
  
Jean smiled, but the smile never reached her eyes. "I see. And did you take such care when you let my son be murdered?"  
  
Domino's mouth fell open. Jean had spoken with such calm that Domino and Cecilia were sure they had heard them wrong. "Jean! What's wrong with you?"  
  
Domino's lips pressed into a thin line, "Morph was my brother, my twin, and I loved him. I miss him as much as you do, but he would have wanted us to move on. Not to dwell on it. Not to alienate those who have tried to help us!"  
  
Jean laughed, a heartless and cruel sound. "Ah, child, no one can help you now."  
  
Domino and Cecilia were thrust against the walls of Jean's room with the power of Jean's mind. Pinned there, they could do nothing but watch as Jean stood and then blew up the wall containing her one window. When nothing was standing between Jean and the outside world she jumped, only to fly into the sky quickly vanishing from sight.  
  
When Jean was gone Domino and Cecilia fell from the walls like puppets with their strings cut. Domino stayed slumped on the floor, her disbelief evident on her face. Cecilia stood and walked to what was left of the outer wall. She whispered to herself, "What's happened to you Jean?"  
  
Jean flew through the skies feeling more free than she had in ages. She was no longer burdened with fear and doubt and pesky emotions like grief and affection. When she had finally tired of flight, she landed on the peak of a mountain, a volcano. She stood there for a moment watching the liquid fire.  
  
"Beautiful isn't it?" a voice asked her from behind.  
  
Jean turned slowly and saw that it was Pyro, God of Fire who spoke to her. He was Psylocke's sometimes lover and the father of her two daughters. Jean smiled, "Yes, it is."  
  
Pyro stared at Jean, confused. This was not the Queen he had grown to know. Standing before him was a being of darkness, something he never thought Jean to be.  
  
Jean saw his disgust flash across his face. Her smile widened as she gestured to the liquid fire just behind her. Pyro saw her hand move to late and he could not avoid the magma that leapt out of the active volcano to jump at him.  
  
Normally, anything of fire could not harm Pyro, but something was different. Jean had somehow manipulated the fire and it burned with an intensity that Pyro could not stand. It seemed to burn as hot as the sun, the only fire that Pyro could not control.  
  
He started screaming, the pain too intense for him to stand. When his flesh started to melt away he no longer had the breath to scream. When Jean finally pulled the fires away, Pyro lay close to dying on the hard mountain ground.  
  
With his last breaths Pyro asked, "Why Jean?"  
  
"Jean no longer has control here. I am Phoenix and my powers will no longer be wasted as they were before," the entity inhabiting Jean replied, but Pyro was no longer in any condition to hear her. 


	5. The Fate's Decree

I want to thank all of you who reviewed. I got a lot of comments from people saying that Jubilee is a perfect Goddess of the Stars. Thank you. I hope to keep writing this until I run out of ideas or until my fingers are broken and bleeding, whichever comes first.  
  
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The Three Goddesses of Fate all felt it the moment their brother Pyro died. Destiny, Goddess of the Future, turned to her sisters with a frown, "This is not good."  
  
The Goddess of the Present nodded. "But what can we do?" Meggan asked.  
  
"Who knows? This has never happened before. But then, Phoenix has never given us anything like Jean before," Sage, Goddess of the Past said.  
  
"Phoenix has become corrupted," Destiny told her sisters. "When she created Jean, she gave Jean powers, but also made it possible to use her powers through Jean."  
  
Sage nodded, "I remember that."  
  
Meggan frowned, "Why don't I?"  
  
Destiny and Sage looked at each other, Sage turned back to Meggan, "You are the Goddess of the Present. You may have lived through the past, but you were not meant to remember it all. My memories span creation, even though I was not present for it." Sage sighed. "Just before Phoenix created the sun and chose to live within it, she created Jean. Even I don't know why." Sage rubbed her eyes.  
  
"Phoenix has always been able to shield herself from us," Destiny said slowly. "But this time is different."  
  
Sage raised her eyes. "Yes. Yes it is." The Goddess of the Past turned to her sister her eyes blazing, "Did you know what she was going to do to Pyro?"  
  
Destiny shook her head, "If I had I would have done all that was in my power to stop it."  
  
Sage hung her head, "I know, I'm sorry."  
  
"There is nothing to be sorry for. He was our brother. I understand."  
  
Meggan watched her sisters for a moment, her head tilted to the side. "What about Cyclops?" she asked finally.  
  
Sage and Destiny turned towards her as one. "Cyclops?"  
  
Meggan smiled a little at her sisters, "He loves her."  
  
Destiny's thoughts turned inward for a moment, "You know, that might just work."  
  
"Of course it will. But we'd have to get everyone in on it." Meggan said.  
  
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Storm looked at Sage, disbelief evident in her eyes. "You want me to what!?!" she practically shouted.  
  
"Calm down. We want you to tell everyone where Cyclops is," Sage answered calmly.  
  
"I can't do that!" Storm did shout this time.  
  
"Why not?" Sage asked simply.  
  
Storm's mouth dropped, "You're serious."  
  
Sage nodded, "This is important. We, that is my sisters and I, want all of the Pantheon to gang up on Cyclops to make him face his grief, as well as to help Jean."  
  
Storm frowned, "What's wrong with Jean?"  
  
Sage told her.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Rogue looked up into the sky as a shadow passed overhead. "Gambit? You see that?" she asked her husband.  
  
"See what, chere?" the God of Thieves asked.  
  
Rogue shook her head. "It was probably just mah imagination."  
  
Gambit pulled his wife close to him, "Did Gambit eva tell ya what a lovely Goddess of Nobles ya are?"  
  
Rogue snorted, a very unladylike and unnoble sound, "All the time sugah."  
  
"Ahem."  
  
Rogue whirled in Gambit's arms. "Destiny! You just about gave me a heart attack."  
  
"Sorry to interrupt, but we have a major issue on our hands," Destiny said, her sightless eyes staring at Rogue.  
  
"What kinda issue big 'nough to bring out the Fates?" Gambit asked seriously.  
  
"Jean's gone 'round the bend," Meggan popped out from behind her older sister.  
  
"'Scuse me?" Rogue asked.  
  
"She went crazy, psycho, loopy, insane, ringing any bells yet?" Meggan responded.  
  
Rogue rolled her eyes, "I know what you said, but I just can't believe it."  
  
"It's true," Destiny answered. "Now come with us and we will explain it all on the way."  
  
"On the way where?" Gambit asked, immediately suspicious.  
  
Meggan smiled, "Just to Storm's valley."  
  
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Similar meetings took place that entire day. The Fates gathered together most of the Second Generation, the Ruling Pantheon.  
  
After leaving Storm, Sage collected Colossus, God of Warriors, and his wife Polaris, Goddess of Magic.  
  
Destiny and Meggan then showed up with Iceman, God of the Sky, Jubilee, Goddess of the Stars, whom they found together. No one ever knew whom he or she would find Iceman with; would it be Psylocke, or would it be her daughter Jubilee? Eventually though, Destiny knew he'd have to chose just one of them.  
  
Again Sage went out and brought back with her Mystique and Psylocke. Sage had found them still in the gardens of the Palace reminiscing about the past.  
  
When the entire Pantheon gathered together in Storm's Valley, they were all in similar states of panic. The fact that the Queen of the Gods, a being as gentle as they come, had turned into such a horrible creature scared them witless.  
  
Only one of them seemed unfazed, as she had faced much change in her lifetime, and most of it evil. Mystique looked around the assembled Gods and noticed something amiss. "Uh, guys?" Every head turned to look at her. "Where's Pyro?"  
  
Each head swiveled to stare at the Fates. "He's dead," they said as one.  
  
A/N: Sorry if I made Meggan a little ditzy, it's just how I see the Goddess of the Present acting. 


	6. What's the Plan? Be direct!

Psylocke's mouth dropped open. Pyro was dead? He was the father of her children. Meltdown, Goddess of Destruction probably wouldn't be heartbroken, but Jubilee was sure to be. "How? How can it be?" she choked out, not really asking anyone.  
  
Destiny, though, chose to answer, "It was Jean, or rather, it was the entity inhabiting Jean."  
  
Mystique looked from her sister to the Fates, "Inhabiting?"  
  
Sage nodded. She would not tell them the whole of the truth. She would not tell them that the entity was Phoenix, Mother of the Universe, gone evil. They would be in such despair that they would be unable to function. So Sage told them what they needed to hear, "She is being possessed by an unknown entity that is using her rage and grief to make itself stronger."  
  
"An unknown entity? How is that possible?" Polaris asked. "I thought we knew all there was in our universe.  
  
Sage snorted, "You know only a small portion of this universe. In the creation of our universe much more was hidden than revealed."  
  
Destiny shook her head, "What is known and what is unknown is unimportant right now. All that matters is that the longer Jean is lost to us the more evil and corrupt she will become."  
  
"What can we do?" Colossus asked, already planning battles in his mind. Polaris patted his arm with a patient smile.  
  
"Cyclops!" Meggan cried. All those in the valley just stared at her. Noticing that they didn't understand her she repeated herself firmly, "Cyclops."  
  
Destiny smiled at Meggan's simplicity. "Meggan is right of course." Puzzled expressions met that statement. "Cyclops is the only one who can save her soul."  
  
"Why Cyclops?" asked a voice from the back of the crowd. "Why not one of her children?"  
  
Destiny sighed, "It was the death of one of her children that got us into this mess Domino, and the meddling of another will not get us out. Only her soul mate can get us out of this."  
  
Domino slowly walked to the front of the crowd, passing her uncles and aunts, her family. "I will not sit idly by while you deal with this. This is as much my fight as it is yours."  
  
"Who said anything about a fight?" came a feminine voice from behind the Fates, where a new Goddess had just appeared.  
  
Domino rolled her eyes, "Mention fighting and possible destruction and Meltdown comes running. I only meant that I wanted to be involved in anything involving my mother."  
  
"We haven't even made plans yet child," Storm's calming voice rang out.  
  
"That isn't exactly true," Destiny corrected. "We were thinking about taking the direct approach."  
  
"Say what?" Gambit asked.  
  
Meggan jumped up and down, "Cyclops! Find Cyclops!"  
  
"You've said that already, but how to do it?" Colossus asked impatiently.  
  
Storm stepped in front of the assembled Gods and spoke, "I have known where Cyclops was since the moment he disappeared. He has taken shelter in one of my many mountain ranges."  
  
Outrage met this statement, but Sage held up her hand to stall any protests. "My sisters and I have also known the location of our king."  
  
Domino stared at the Fates, "Where is he?"  
  
It was Storm who actually answered the Goddess of Life, "He spends his days in the mountain ranges of his birth." Domino looked perplexed. "You did know that when he was born Destiny told Sinister that his son would surpass him correct?" Domino nodded with a glance at the Goddess of the Future and Storm continued. "He lived with a Mortal family and they raised him as their son until Cyclops was old enough to fight his father. He is now hiding in the mountain range that were once his home."  
  
Domino couldn't help the frown of confusion that creased her brow. "No one ever told me."  
  
Sage laughed, "Finally someone admits that they do not know all!"  
  
Domino glared at Sage, "Not funny."  
  
Sage's smile widened. "Of course not."  
  
"If we're done wit the history lesson, Gambit wants to know wat's goin on," voiced the God of Thieves.  
  
"Yeah, me too!" called Colossus.  
  
Destiny hesitated for just a moment. "Well, it's going to be a little difficult. Someone must convince Cyclops to come out of isolation. That itself might be the hardest part."  
  
"And the rest of us?" Rogue asked.  
  
Meggan clapped her hands, "Distraction!"  
  
The assembled Gods groaned, "A little elaboration please," Polaris asked.  
  
Sage opened her mouth to reply, but Meggan beat her to the punch. " You gotta keep Jean from destroying everything. Keep her from killing Mortals, destroying the Earth, all that basic stuff."  
  
Mystique grinned wryly, "Just the basics huh?"  
  
"You bettcha," Meggan answered with her own grin.  
  
"If she's as powerful as you're implying she is, what are we supposed to do?" Polaris asked.  
  
"Anything you can," Destiny replied seriously.  
  
"And who's going to be the lucky person to visit with Cyclops?" asked Rogue.  
  
Mystique stepped forward, "I am. It's my husband's fault that all of this happened, and now I have a chance to try to fix a little of what he has done."  
  
The Fates nodded in agreement, "Mystique must go." 


	7. the who's who of Sodaism

Ok, so I've been asked by Caliente to make a flow chart, but this list is all I could do. It works though. It's got who parents are and what gods are what. I was going to post it sooner, but I had to get out the meeting first. Eventually there will be stories for everyone just be patient.  
  
First Generation  
  
Sinister - Leader of the First Generation.eventually I'll write about the conflict between him and Cyclops, but for now.  
  
Magneto - Advisor  
  
Sabretooth - Warrior  
  
Quicksilver -  
  
Scarlet Witch -  
  
White Queen - Mother  
  
Lady Deathstrike - Bounty Hunter  
  
Black Queen - Sinister's consort  
  
Second Generation  
  
Cyclops - Mr. Sinister and Scarlet Witch - King of the Gods  
  
Archangel - Mr. Sinister and Scarlet Witch - formerly God of the Day, now God of Death/Underworld  
  
Pyro - Mr. Sinister and Black Queen - Former God of Fire (dead now!)  
  
Gambit - Quicksilver and White Queen - God of Thieves  
  
Iceman - Quicksilver and White Queen - God of the Sky  
  
Colossus - Sabretooth and Lady Deathstrike - God of Warriors  
  
Rogue - Sabretooth and Scarlet Witch - Goddess of Nobles  
  
Polaris - Magneto and Scarlet Witch - Goddess of Magic  
  
Storm - Magneto and Scarlet Witch - Goddess of the Earth  
  
Psylocke - Magneto and Black Queen - Goddess of the Moon  
  
Mystique - Magneto and Black Queen - Goddess of Night  
  
Jean Grey - Unknown - Queen of the Gods  
  
Sage - Mr. Sinister and Black Queen - Goddess/Fate of the Past  
  
Destiny - Mr. Sinister and Black Queen - Goddess/Fate of the Future  
  
Meggan - Mr. Sinister and Black Queen - Goddess/Fate of the Present  
  
Third Generation  
  
Nightcrawler - Archangel and Mystique - God of Demons  
  
Shadowcat - Archangel and Mystique - Goddess of Spirits  
  
Cable - Cyclops and Jean Grey - God of War (different than Colossus!)  
  
Domino - Cyclops and Jean Grey - Goddess of Life  
  
Morph - Cyclops and Jean Grey - former God of Death (dead now!)  
  
Cecilia Reyes - Gambit and Rogue - Goddess of Healing  
  
Warbird - Gambit and Rogue - Goddess of Wisdom and Tactics  
  
Longshot - Gambit and Rogue - God of Fortune  
  
Dazzler - Colossus and Polaris - Patron Goddess of the Theater  
  
Banshee - Colossus and Polaris - God of the Inner Voice (don't ask.conscience thing) - sp?  
  
Jubilee - Pyro and Psylocke - Goddess of the Stars  
  
Meltdown - Pyro and Psylocke - Goddess of Destruction  
  
Beast - Storm - God of Nature  
  
Wolverine - Storm - God of Animals  
  
Fourth Generation  
  
Nocturne - Nightcrawler and Domino - Future Goddess of the Night (just wait.I'll get to it)  
  
Blink - Nightcrawler and Domino - Goddess of the Hunt  
  
Siryn - Banshee and Shadowcat - Goddess of Music  
  
Synch - Banshee and Shadowcat - Not a clue.any suggestions?  
  
Skin - Longshot and Dazzler - Not a clue.any suggestions?  
  
Mimic - Longshot and Dazzler - Not a clue.any suggestions?  
  
Husk - Cable and Meltdown - Goddess of Shapeshifters (again.don't ask)  
  
Cannonball - Cable and Meltdown - Not a clue.any suggestions?  
  
Chamber - Wolverine and Warbird - Not a clue.any suggestions?  
  
Wolfsbane - Wolverine and Warbird - Goddess of Intuition (?)  
  
M - Beast and Cecilia Reyes - Not a clue.any suggestions?  
  
Lifeguard - Beast and Cecilia Reyes - Goddess of Protection  
  
Slipstream - Beast and Cecilia Reyes - Messenger of the Gods (I swear I'll get to it all!)  
  
Thunderbird - Phoenix - Warbird and Wolverine - To understand this one go to the Sodaism site.I really can't explain it.  
  
So anyone with any suggestions on which Gods Synch, Skin, Mimic, Cannonball, Chamber, and M should be, review with your comments. Please? 


	8. Not so Good News

Sorry about this one being the shortest chapter yet. I wasn't sure how finish this 'meeting,' so this is kinda filler for now. No worries though, the next chapter should be much better.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Meltdown, still standing behind the Fates started laughing. "The look on your faces was priceless!"  
  
Mystique gave a wry smile. "Not a very trusting group are they?"  
  
Colossus whirled to face Mystique, "Why would we be trusting? You stay with that BEAST even though you know all of the horrible things he's done!"  
  
The sudden outburst caught Mystique off guard. She turned to glare at the assembled Gods, knowing that they all, at least in part, believed that Colossus was right. "Imagine how much worse it could become if I didn't stay with Archangel, trying to hold him to some semblance of sanity!" she snarled.  
  
"Enough!" Sage yelled. "Arguing about this will not change the decision."  
  
"Your decision!" Domino yelled. "What if some of us don't agree with having Mystique in such a position of power over us?"  
  
All those gathered fell silent. No one had ever challenged a decision that the Fates had made, especially when they all agreed.  
  
Silently the Fates aligned themselves. Sage stood to the left, Destiny to the right, and Meggan in the middle. "Together we have seen all that has happened in our past," Sage intoned.  
  
"Together we see all that is happening in our present," Meggan continued.  
  
"Together we see all that will happen in our future," Destiny finished.  
  
"Our decisions are sound and made for the prosperity of all," they said together.  
  
Domino frowned, "So you know more than we do. But how do we know you don't have some hidden agenda up your sleeves?"  
  
Meggan laughed, "We require a balance in the universe. We are a neutral force and we can't have a 'hidden agenda' in anything except as a way of restoring the Balance."  
  
Destiny was more serious than her sister; "The scales are tipped toward evil now. That can only bring more violence and destruction in the future." Destiny wished she could tell them why the Balance was so far off. Phoenix was a source of ultimate good, and with her corruption things could never be balanced. Destiny sighed; it was just too bad that they didn't believe in Phoenix.  
  
Sage was following her sister's train of thought. But she knew things even her sister did not. The old woman in the village where Mystique spent some of her time was a follower of Sage's. She tried to pass on stories of the past with unvarnished truth, but there was so much closed-mindedness in the world today that anything that was considered a change in old ways was immediately laughed off as fiction.  
  
Meggan smiled as she listened to the thoughts of her sisters. They were distracted, so they didn't notice her inside their heads. Meggan wished that she could sneak around in everyone's thoughts. She didn't give a hoot about everyone knowing about Phoenix.  
  
No one, not God, not Mortal, even remembered the other side of the Balance. Meggan was thinking about Apocalypse. If Phoenix was now evil, would she attempt to bring him back into this world? She sighed; she couldn't see the future. All she knew about Phoenix was that she was now talking to Archangel.  
  
Meggan's head snapped up sharply, "Oh shit!!"  
  
Destiny and Sage turned to their sisters in shock. Meggan hardly ever swore. "What is it?" Sage asked.  
  
Meggan pitched her voice for all to hear, "Jean is talking with Archangel."  
  
Cries of anger and fear reached back at Meggan. Sage's eyes lost focus, "He saw her kill Pyro, and then he followed her. That's all I can see."  
  
Meggan continued, knowing that neither of her sisters would be able to See anything until the conversation was over, "He's offering her his services."  
  
"What kind ah' services?" Rogue asked.  
  
"He is God of Death, and a demon ruler of a realm of Hell, so basically he can give her whatever demon, or undead help she wants," Meggan answered ruefully.  
  
"Oh shit!"  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
A/N: next chapter should be the meeting of Archangel and Jean itself.Told you it would be a good next chapter - at least idea-wise. 


	9. Hell's Offer

I need a new God of Fire.I mean, I don't NEED one, but it would be nice.of those x-men who aren't gods of something, who fits best? .Your choices are Synch, Skin, Mimic, Cannonball, Chamber, and M. I loved Caliente's suggestion of Chamber being some sort of communication god.He's mute so it was kinda funny. Cannonball as a god of strength? That has potential.everyone has to review and tell me what they think!! Also, I hope to update soon, like tomorrow, but I don't know if it's going to happen, just be patient.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Phoenix, traveling in Jean's body, flew over the world she had created. She was aware, superficially, that she had created it all and had taken joy in its creation. Now she was looking forward to its long and agonizing destruction.  
  
Flying below her, hiding in the clouds waiting for her to land, was Archangel. He had left his realm of darkness and evil to find the one who had killed the God Pyro. He smiled. Such a God as Pyro deserved what he got, not joining Archangel's quest to destroy and/or control the Pantheon. Archangel had hoped to use Storm and her dominion over the Earth to gain control, but this was an opportunity to good to pass up.  
  
Jean, supreme goody-two-shoes, had finally snapped, as Archangel had hoped that she would. What the God of Hell hadn't counted on was Jean going so magnificently evil. That was the best news he had all day.  
  
Jean finally spiraled into a landing in a ravine surrounded by rock and little else. Archangel landed gracefully before her. Jean's face contorted into a mask of surprise, a flicker of her old self, before it was scrunched into a mockery of a smile. "Archangel, how nice to see you again."  
  
Archangel blinked. She was still lucid, and she could still recall her past. He smiled to himself; this would be wonderful. "I've come to offer my services to my Queen," he said with a mocking bow.  
  
Jean laughed, a harsh and dark sound, "And you think I need your petty 'services?'"  
  
Archangel nodded, anger beginning to grow in his chest. "You may be powerful, but you are not invincible."  
  
"And what do you think to offer me?" Jean asked. Phoenix was thinking rapidly; maybe she could use this arrogant puppy.  
  
"I have armies of the dead, beings with unclean souls that are trapped in my realm. I could also offer you control of my demon hoards." Archangel said all of this with an air of superiority.  
  
Jean gritted her teeth, she'd show that stupid child who was superior here! A small smile curved her lips, "I may take you up on your generous offer, but what do you want in return?"  
  
"I want the Earth and Storm," Archangel answered quickly.  
  
"I thought you had a lover, a wife," Jean asked with an arched eyebrow.  
  
"I want to be worshiped, not to destroy all life on Earth. I need Storm for that. But you can take care of her children," Archangel shrugged.  
  
"Wolverine?" Jean's voice quavered. Before this horrible possession the God of Beast had been a close friend of Jean's. But before the real Jean could continue that thought, the mind of Phoenix slammed it into oblivion. In the small portion of Jean's mind that she retained she was screaming.  
  
Archangel watched on, oblivious to the silent battle of wills taking place inside Jean's mind. "Do we have a deal?" he asked callously.  
  
His simple and callous statement drove Jean back into the recesses of her mind and Phoenix answered with Jean's voice, "Most definitely."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Storm shuddered. To listen to Meggan talking about a dear friend like Jean talking about callously murdering her sons was too much for her to bear. "She agreed," she whispered.  
  
Meggan walked over to the Goddess of the Earth and put a slim arm around Storm's dark shoulders. "It's not really Jean," she whispered. "We can fight this."  
  
Polaris joined Meggan at her sister's side. "We don't have a choice now," the Goddess of Magic said quietly. "It just harder when you know the person who is hurting you." All while she was speaking, she was projecting an aura of magical power that was giving her sister strength. Since it was something she could control, she simply continued to give Storm her energy.  
  
Storm sniffled, "She hasn't done anything yet." Suddenly her head came up and there was a fire burning deep in her eyes. "I'll be damned if I'm going to let whatever it is in Jean hurt anyone," she said it so fiercely that Sage, standing a few feet away smiled. "That's the spirit."  
  
Destiny spoke, "We have to get started. The longer we delay, the more of a chance Jean and Archangel have to succeed."  
  
"Then where do we start?" Storm growled.  
  
"The obvious answer is sending me to Cyclops as quickly as possible," Mystique answered.  
  
Storm stared at her, "Right, of course." Walking quickly over to the Goddess of the Night she put her mouth to Mystique's ear. After a moment Mystique nodded and disappeared.  
  
"Why can't the rest of us kno'?" Rogue asked.  
  
"I'm trying to respect his privacy," Storm answered with a frown at the Goddess of Nobles. "We all need a place where we can find peace, and that is his. I won't take it from him."  
  
Rogue nodded, "Fair enough."  
  
Destiny sighed, "So about the plan?"  
  
The Gods assemble started, and a weak chuckle swept through the crowd. "Right, so what do we do about Jean?" Storm asked, the fire still burning in her eyes.  
  
"We can't kill her," Meggan stated simply. "She's too important."  
  
"If we can't kill what do we do?" Colossus asked.  
  
"We just have to keep her distracted until Cyclops can snap her out of it," Meggan answered.  
  
"Tha's it?" Gambit asked incredulously.  
  
"Unfortunately so," Destiny replied. "Cyclops is the only one who can help her."  
  
Domino asked quizzically, "How can you know that?" At Destiny's glance she blushed, "Right, Goddess of the Future. I got it."  
  
A small smiled curved Destiny's lips, "I should hope so."  
  
"So we just keep her distracted? What if Mystique can't get Cyclops together in time?" Psylocke asked.  
  
"Then we're doomed," the Fates replied.  
  
"Damn," was Psylocke's only reply. 


	10. Who's got the short stick?

Again, it's a rather short chapter, but my brain is slowly starting to erode. The next couple of chapters may take me a while because I'm not so good at battle scenes seeing as how I've never written them before.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Mystique appeared just behind Cyclops. He was still too sunk in his grief to even notice her. She shook her head; it seemed to her that Cyclops had also descended into madness. At least this was a madness she hoped to snap him out of.  
  
"Cyclops?" Mystique called softly fully expecting him to ignore her.  
  
So sure was she that Cyclops was going to disregard her presence, she was completely surprised when he jumped up and whirled to face her. He started screaming, " HOW DARE YOU SHOW YOUR FACE TO ME! You traitorous bitch!" He stepped forward with every word, and when he finally finished he was almost nose-to-nose with her.  
  
Mystique blinked, but she did show any signs of fear. Instead, she slapped him hard across the face. "I can understand your anger, but if you ever even think of insulting me in such a way again I will not be responsible for what I will do to you." Cyclops actually stepped back at the fierce look in her eyes. "I have betrayed no one save my fallen husband."  
  
Cyclops's expression turned to confusion. "Betrayed your husband?"  
  
Mystique nodded, "I wouldn't be here if I wasn't." Again Cyclops looked confused. "Shut you mouth," Mystique said with a laugh. "You're letting flies in."  
  
Cyclops shut his mouth with an audible snap before replying, "Why are you here?"  
  
"That is quite a story," she said, and began to tell him everything that had happened since his self-imposed exile. When she got to the part about Jean's decent into insanity she expected Cyclops to want to rush off to save her. Again her expectations were cruelly shattered. He simply remained still, as if he had not heard a word she had spoken.  
  
When she finally finished telling Cyclops everything she knew, he still did not respond. "Cyclops?"  
  
Slowly his head rose, "It's all my fault. Everything."  
  
Mystique gave a small smile, "Hon, you're going to have to fight me for all that guilt, 'cause I'm entitled to some of it."  
  
Cyclops stared at her, his mouth slack in disbelief. Mystique gave a weak chuckle, "Catching flies again?"  
  
Cyclops shook his head, "Wha.huh?"  
  
Mystique smiled, "Question?"  
  
Cyclops visibly pulled himself together, "How can you say this isn't all my fault? I am responsible for Archangel's behavior, I killed Morph, I wasn't there for Jean when she needed me." He sighed, "I've been so wrapped up in my own grief that I forgot about those who mattered to me."  
  
"At least you can admit you've been a fool," Mystique told him caustically.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"Now you're saying you haven't been a fool? Look, this situation was as much my fault as it is yours. I have been foolish too. I foolishly thought that my love for my husband and his love for me was enough to keep things from going this far. I know better now. He isn't the man I fell in love with anymore, but I still won't give up on him. I can't," she sighed. "As much as I want to."  
  
"That's brave," Cyclops said wistfully.  
  
"I think it's more idiotic than brave to be honest," Mystique snorted. "Now you have a chance to do something brave. Save your wife and your children. They need you."  
  
"What if I can't?"  
  
Mystique sighed. She briefly wondered if she got the short end of the stick when it came to jobs in this plan of the Fates.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Archangel sat back on his throne with a sigh of contentment. Everything was going as planned; his armies were now following Jean out of his realm and right into the arms of those weak insects that paraded around as the Pantheon.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Storm was the first one to spot the opening portal that had formed in the ethereal planes where the Palace of the Gods was held. "Uh, what's that?" she asked pointing to the large, gaping hole that was cutting into the sky.  
  
Her fellow Gods came to her where she was standing at the spot where Jean had destroyed the wall. "Ah don' know," Rogue said with a slight frown.  
  
Standing a little ways back from the rest Nightcrawler answered, "It's a portal from Archangel's realm."  
  
All those assembled turned to look at the God of Demons. It was Psylocke who finally broke the uncomfortable silence, "Don't you usually control the demons?"  
  
Nightcrawler shook his head ruefully, "Archangel has them convinced that he is a more worthy lord to follow. They have renounced me as their leader. I am a God of nothing."  
  
"Better a God of nothing, than an enemy of ours," Colossus said, his steel- plated eyes glowing.  
  
"Damn straight," Polaris added. 


	11. Mystique loses patience

Okay, again with the filler chapters. It just sets it up for the next chapter, which should be the battle. At least, that's what I'm hoping. I might end up bringing the lesser gods too, like the 3rd and 4th generations, into the battle. I don't know yet.  
  
Destiny watched the army of demons approach. Phoenix was out there somewhere. Doubtless the other Gods felt it too but could not identify it. Not that Destiny was that shocked by their lack of knowledge; they were children in terms of their knowledge of the universe. Hellfires, they didn't even know that Phoenix existed.  
  
Shaking her head, Destiny sat on the red silk-canopied bed that once belonged to the Queen of the Gods. She sat still, thinking about how foolish her fellow Gods were. Who did they think created the universe? Sinister had certainly never claimed that he was responsible, and he didn't know about Phoenix either. Magneto might, as he certainly knew about Apocalypse, but no one knew about that either.  
  
"What are we supposed to do?" Nightcrawler asked, breaking into Destiny's thoughts.  
  
Polaris answered before Destiny had a chance to speak, "Can't you control your 'subjects,' Nightcrawler?"  
  
Nightcrawler hung his head, "Unfortunately, no. Archangel has stolen control of them from me without actually fighting me for them."  
  
"Did you not fight?" Colossus asked, confusedly.  
  
"I tried. His mind and powers are so much stronger than mine. I was no match for him. I have failed."  
  
Domino walked over to her husband and put an arm around his shoulders, "No one blames you. My love, you did the best that you could."  
  
"I'm afraid my best wasn't good enough," Nightcrawler whispered, for the ears of his love alone.  
  
But Sage heard him despite his efforts to keep quiet, "You're right. But that doesn't mean that you give up. You just learn to do better and fight harder."  
  
Meggan gave a soft giggle, "Maybe Cyclops should listen to your advice. I think he needs it more."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Mystique threw her hands into the air. She had tried being nice, being sarcastic, and even being sympathetic, something she didn't usually do. Talking to Cyclops was getting her nowhere. He refused to give up on his grief, even in the face of grave peril to his wife and children, not to mention siblings and friends. Now she was angry. "I have just about had it with you! You selfish, pig-headed, stubborn JACKASS! You are not the center of our universe! So you killed your son, it was an ACCIDENT!! I had to give my only children up to my SISTER to watch her raise them! You had a chance to love Morph when he was alive while I've hardly ever even SPOKEN to my daughter!"  
  
Cyclops's head had snapped up at her first angry word. No one had ever spoken to him in such a tone before. He was so shocked that for a moment he couldn't speak. When he finally did speak, his first words were not at all related to the topic at hand. "You have a daughter?"  
  
Mystique looked at him with a completely dumbfounded expression on her usually impassive face. "Well, yeah. I thought you knew." She visibly pulled herself together. "I have a son too."  
  
Cyclops frowned, "I knew that. Nightcrawler is obviously yours, but who is your daughter?"  
  
Mystique gave a little ghost of a smile, "Nightcrawler may have been obvious to you, but my husband has never even raised an eyebrow. As to your question.Shadowcat is Nightcrawler's twin sister."  
  
"The Goddess of Spirits is your daughter?" Cyclops asked incredulously.  
  
Mystique nodded, "She sure is. I was going to have her take my place as Goddess of the Night, but she didn't want it."  
  
"Take your place?" Cyclops asked. "Why?"  
  
Mystique smiled. At least now the King of the Gods was focusing on something completely unrelated to himself. That was progress if Mystique had ever seen it. She shrugged, "It seems only natural giving up my place as Goddess of the Night to one of the younger Gods. I'm trying to free my love from evil and I have duties as Goddess of the Night that interferes with those plans. Since my own daughter would rather be a Goddess of Spirits, and her husband Banshee is God of the Inner Voice, I have to chose a grandchild."  
  
"Have you chosen one yet?" Cyclops asked with genuine interest on his face.  
  
Inwardly Mystique smiled, it wouldn't be much longer now. To Cyclops, she nodded, "Shadowcat's daughter Siryn is now the Goddess of Music and her brother Synch is too wrapped up in M to really care much. Of Nightcrawler's children, Blink is already Goddess of the Hunt, so that really only left one grandchild to choose."  
  
Cyclops nodded, "Nocturne. That works."  
  
Mystique sighed, "Yeah it does. I just hope that things work out better for her than they did for me."  
  
For a while Mystique and Cyclops sat in silence both lost in their own thoughts. For the first time in a long time, Cyclops's thoughts were not on Morph. He was thinking about Mystique and all of the things she had had to go through alone. He felt sorrow for the first time since Morph for someone else.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Meggan looked to her sisters, "She's making progress."  
  
Sage and Destiny looked at Meggan, desperation showing in their eyes. "Will it be enough?" Sage asked.  
  
All three Fates looked out to the advancing armies. Meggan's eyes held fear, "I hope so." 


	12. A little plotting

I've mentioned this before and I thought I'd do it again. I suck at battles. That's why it's taking me so long to get to it. This chapter isn't SO important, but it does set things up so that the battle can take place in the next couple of chapters.  
  
Phoenix flew above her armies with a feeling of triumph. There was nothing those puny little Gods could do to stop her. Look how easy she had taken out that weakling Pyro. The rest of them would fall just as easily as he had. Her thunderous laugh echoed over the ethereal planes.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Domino shuddered when she heard the sound of her mother's laugh. She knew, intellectually that the laugh did not come from her mother. It was a harsh and evil laugh; there was none of the joy that was so much a part of her mother's usual laugh.  
  
The Goddess of Life looked at those assembled in the shambles of Jean's old rooms. Their faces were all tense, and the frowns on their faces seemed unnatural. They all thought they were doomed. Iceman, God of the Sky, and her husband were the only ones to see her leave.  
  
Walking quickly out of the room, Domino headed down the hall to the rooms of her last sibling left, Cable, the God of War. When she came to his room she lifted her hand and was about to knock when her husband Nightcrawler grabbed her wrist. "What do you think you're doing?"  
  
Domino sighed, and turned to face her love, "I'm trying to save our lives. The Pantheon is so afraid they can hardly think. We need help, and I am not going to shut my entire generation out of this conflict just to make the Pantheon happy. I'm getting us help!"  
  
Nightcrawler pulled Domino into his arms. "I agree that we need help," he said into her midnight black hair. "I just don't know if Cable is the one we should be going to."  
  
Domino pulled back a little and smiled, "If the God of War can't help us, who can?"  
  
Nightcrawler shook his head, "When you're right you're right. Go on then, knock. Just remember that I was the voice of reason here."  
  
Domino shook her head and knocked on her brother's door. Nothing happened, so Domino started pounding on the door and yelling, "Cable! I know you're in there! You can't hide from a Goddess! I can feel life energies! Open the door. NOW!"  
  
Finally Domino heard the click of a door being unlocked and a haggard looking Cable opened the door. "Brother, you look like shit!"  
  
Cable grimaced, "Thanks sis, love you too. Nightcrawler, good to see you." Cable extended his hand and Nightcrawler shook it. "So, what do you guys want?"  
  
Domino turned to her husband, "It's kinda a long story."  
  
Cable looked between the two of them, "I got time, come on in."  
  
Domino took one look around the room and grimaced in distaste. "Were is Meltdown?" she asked quickly, not wanting to voice her opinions on his hygiene.  
  
"Out wreaking havoc I suppose. There's an army coming this way so she's trying her best to slow them down."  
  
Domino's mouth dropped. She sputtered, "Wha? Huh? 'Scuse me?"  
  
Cable laughed at the expression on his sister's face, "She was at the meeting of the Pantheon remember? She came right back here as soon as the rest of you went to Jean's room and told me everything."  
  
Nightcrawler chuckled, "Well then, the story isn't as long as I thought it would be."  
  
Domino glared at her husband and brother. "We have to help the Pantheon."  
  
"Did they ask for it?" Cable asked seriously.  
  
Domino was puzzled, "No.why?"  
  
Cable sighed wearily, "I guess it's easier to ask forgiveness than permission. All right, if we want to help, we have to get everyone involved. Our generation and that of our children have to be involved."  
  
"You want me to get my daughters involved in this?" Domino demanded angrily.  
  
Cable laughed, "One of your daughters is the Goddess of the Hunt, sis. I'm not really asking for a lot."  
  
Nightcrawler grinned, "And Nocturne is as good a warrior as Blink is." Seeing his wife's expression he lost his grin. "Hon, I know that you're afraid for them, but we need all the help we can get. You said so yourself."  
  
"Go ahead, throw words back in my face," Domino growled, but didn't make a move to refute him.  
  
Cable nodded, "Alright, let's gather together our generation, and our children's. Let's go."  
  
Domino and Nightcrawler went first to their two children, Blink and Nocturne, who were chasing Mortals out of the Sacred Wood, the forest that Blink had claimed for her own. Blink was the first to spot them walking towards them. She ran for them and leapt into Domino's arms while Nocturne did a flying leap into her father's. When each daughter let go, they jumped into the arms of their other parent. Standing back from their children, Domino and Nightcrawler lost their smiles. "We have some bad news."  
  
Blink and Nocturne were the first of the Fourth Generation to hear the news of Jean's insanity. After their parents left them they went and informed their mates; Blink spoke to her lover Mimic, and Nocturne went to her lover Skin.  
  
This went on all day, Cable and Meltdown and Nightcrawler and Domino together told all the generations of Jean's condition. The meeting of these generations was much more to the point than that of their elders. All that had to be decided was when to join the fight. And that was easy.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Iceman, God of the Sky, had watched Domino and Nightcrawler leave. He was glad that they had gone. He knew that they were not leaving to avoid the fighting; they left to get help. Of all of the Ruling Pantheon he and his brother Gambit were the most open-minded and as such did not mind getting help from their "inferiors," especially if the help came from their children. Iceman did not have his own children, but he did love the Goddess of the Stars, a "Lesser God" in the minds of his generation.  
  
Iceman smiled, and hoped that the Goddess of Life and her husband would be able to get the other generations to cooperate. Little did he know that that was not really an issue.at all.  
  
He spent the day lost in his own thoughts and he turned back to the window only when his other love, Jubilee's mother Psylocke tightened her grip on his arm. "They're coming faster now."  
  
Colossus turned an unbelieving look on the Goddess of the Moon, and she could swear he wanted to say, "duh," but kept his mouth shut. All he said was, "We can see that."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Phoenix moved her troops faster and faster; her anticipation of destroying those pesky, interfering Gods was wearing away at her already fragile patience. She could almost taste the victory. She goaded her troops to run faster.  
  
Soon enough she could see the spiraled towers of the Palace of the Gods. She started screaming "ATTACK!!!" 


	13. Lifeguard and Mystique hit it off

How is this? Sorry if it isn't good enough, but this is really as good as battles get for me..I'll try harder I promise.don't hate.  
  
::Mind-speech:: - just thought I'd inform you.  
  
Domino, hiding in the foliage surrounding the Palace, felt her heart stop in terror at the sound of Jean's voice screaming for the attack. She could see, from her hiding space, the army approaching. She and the rest of the Gods who had chosen to help her, the rest of the "lesser Gods," were waiting until their parents and grandparents decided to engage the army before they decided to attack.  
  
Above her, in Jean's old rooms, Colossus said, "It's time," before jumping out the window and running towards the army.  
  
Polaris shook her head before jumping out the window and flying into the air, following her husband. Psylocke was next, leaping out the window to join in battle. Following her, Iceman made himself a bridge of ice and slide down after his love. Storm flew out the window after them throwing lightning bolts as she went.  
  
Gambit and Rogue turned to the Fates, "You comin'?" they asked  
together.  
  
Meggan shook her head, "Sorry, Fates don't fight."  
  
Rogue grinned, "Ah thought ya didn' fight Fate."  
  
Destiny smiled back, "Get going."  
  
Gambit grabbed Rogue's hand and kissed her palm. Together they leapt out of the window and into the waiting battle.  
  
When Domino saw the last of the Pantheon leave Jean's rooms she herself leapt out. Nightcrawler followed swiftly behind her yelling out a fierce battle cry.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
In the skies above the battle Phoenix hovered, laughing. They thought to fight her, how quaint. She'd teach them.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Mystique felt it the moment her children entered battle. She gave a soul-wrenching cry that tore through the skies. Cyclops stared at her, tears welling up in his eyes at her pain. "What's going on?" he sobbed in question.  
  
Mystique turned to him, her own eyes filled with tears, "They've gone to fight her, and her armies."  
  
Cyclops's head snapped up, he was fully alert now, more so than ever. "They've gone to fight Jean?"  
  
Mystique's eyes went hard as ice, "That. Thing. Is. Not. Jean." She ground out ever word between clenched teeth.  
  
Cyclops looked into her eyes, "I know. I'm going to stop her."  
  
Mystique's eyes cleared and she nodded. "Let's go." She began calling her divine powers to her, using her gifts as a Goddess to transport them instantly to the battlefield. Nothing happened. She could not move to the Palace of the Gods. She tried and tried. Finally she turned to Cyclops, "Can you get us home?"  
  
Cyclops raised an eyebrow but said only, "Sure." Mystique saw his forehead wrinkle in effort. After a few moments he raised his head, "I can't."  
  
Mystique sighed, "This must be Jean's doing. She doesn't want us to show up and ruin all of her plans."  
  
Cyclops glared at the sky, as if it was responsible for his inability to save his wife's soul. "So than how do we get home?"  
  
Mystique's frown turned into a brilliant smile. "Slipstream and Lifeguard," she said simply.  
  
Cyclops raised an incredulous eyebrow, "The Messenger of the Gods and the Goddess of Protection?"  
  
Mystique's smile, if possible, grew even wider, "You got it."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Lifeguard was sweeping through the ranks of demons, destroying everything in her path. Her brother Slipstream was beside her, doing as much damage as she could. Above them both, they felt Jean's presence, radiating hatred.  
  
Lifeguard was sure the hatred was directed at all of humanity, all of the Gods, and not just her in particular. Still, it made her extremely nervous that at any moment Jean would decide to hurl fire bolts down on them like she had been doing before.  
  
Knowing that she could not worry about Jean and the battle at the same time, Lifeguard but the Queen of the Gods out of her mind.  
  
As she was concentrating on fighting a relatively nasty demon she heard a familiar voice ringing in her head. ::Sis?::  
  
::Slipstream?:: she thought back at her brother, who since being made into the Messenger of the Gods had developed the ability to hear projected thoughts.  
  
::The Lady Night had requested our presence,:: there was a slight pause in his mind-voice, ::She says now.::  
  
::Why would Mystique need us?:: Lifeguard replied puzzled. She ducked a wild punch from another demon.  
  
She could feel Slipstream's shrug even though she couldn't see it through the crowd of demon and evil spirit bodies surrounding her. ::We just have to hurry!::  
  
Sighing Lifeguard spun in a vicious whirlwind, flinging all the demons around her away. She leapt from the ground and flew on golden wings to where her brother and his lover Wolfsbane, the Goddess of Intuition, were fighting. Seeing her, Slipstream flung his arms into the air and leapt to grab onto his sister.  
  
With a smile on his face Slipstream looked up at his sister. "They're in the Saphron Mountain Ranges," he yelled up at her.  
  
Lifeguard stuck her tongue out at her younger brother. "So why don't you do something useful and take us there?" she asked indicating the short surfboard that he had strapped to his back for the battle.  
  
"Aw, and I was just having fun!" he whined with a good-natured smile. Quickly he unstrapped his metal surfboard, "Can we wait until we're out of the battle-zone?"  
  
Lifeguard looked below her to the masses of demons and dark souls. She hadn't realized that there were so many of them. She sighed, knowing that they'd be in battle for a while, "Sure thing bro."  
  
After a little fancy flying to avoid the power-bolts that some upper-level demons threw and the fire-bolts that Jean kept raining down on the battlefield, the two made their way out of battle. Setting her brother down, Lifeguard started tapping her foot in impatience.  
  
Slipstream groaned and pulled himself off of the ground where she had dropped him, "Funny." He quickly opened a portal, and grabbed Lifeguards hand. He smiled to himself; he planned on making this one hell of a ride for his dear sister.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Mystique had hoped that her message had gotten through to Slipstream, but she wasn't expecting the Messenger to find his way to her so quickly. A portal opened directly in front of her and Slipstream and Lifeguard came hurtling out like their tails were on fire. Mystique took a moment to examine the duo; Lifeguard was picking herself off of the ground, feathers were flying everywhere. Slipstream was strapping his metal surfboard back onto his back. Both were laughing.  
  
"That was quick," Mystique pointed out dryly.  
  
Slipstream blushed, "Sorry Night Lady, I didn't see you there."  
  
Mystique gave him a wry grin, "I noticed."  
  
"We need to get back to the battle as soon as possible. The other Gods need us," Lifeguard said, trying to take the stress of Mystique's regard off of her brother. Slipstream gave her a grateful smile.  
  
Cyclops nodded empathically, eager to get back to his wife. Mystique got a thoughtful look in her golden eyes. "I was wondering."  
  
Lifeguard turned to look at her, "Wondering what?"  
  
Mystique raised her head and looked Lifeguard in the eyes. "Archangel has an army."  
  
Slipstream shook his head in exasperation, "We know that."  
  
Mystique gave him a look, and he shut up instantly. "So, why don't we have an army?" Mystique asked after a moment. She had a wild twinkling in her eyes.  
  
Lifeguard smiled, "We'd need an army just to get through all the demons to get Cyclops to Jean."  
  
The corners of Mystique's mouth twitched, "Yes we would."  
  
Slipstream looked at his sister and the Goddess of the Night in turn. "And where do you propose to find this so called 'army'?" he asked suspiciously.  
  
Mystique and Lifeguard looked at each other, both forming ideas already. "I know a few places," they said together.  
  
Mystique threw her head back and laughed, "I'm beginning to like you girl!"  
  
Lifeguard smiled, "Ditto." 


End file.
